The Port of Virginia launched a new trucker reservation system on Thursday to begin managing the flow of truck volume at the port.

According to the press release, the initial phase of the roll-out will require motor carriers calling on Norfolk International Terminals at specific times and days to have a reservation. The system is expected to be implemented at Virginia International Gateway this summer.

“This is a 21st-century tool that holds benefits for motor carriers, cargo owners, logistics companies and our terminal operations team,” John Reinhart, chief executive officer and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority, stated in the press release. “This system allows us to manage flow at the gates, it creates efficiency for our terminal operations teams and for drivers, it provides greater visibility to cargo owners, and it is a planning tool for us and everyone that moves their cargo by truck.”

Reservations will be made within a one-hour block and with a 30-minute grace period both before and after that hour, according to the press release.

Trucks arriving during specified hours without reservations will not be permitted onto the terminal property, along with drivers arriving more than 30 minutes prior to confirmed reservations or more than 30 minutes after.

“Creating consistency and efficiency in our delivery of service from hour-to-hour is the goal,” Reinhart stated.

The annual container throughput capacity at NIT is expected to increase by 46 percent, or 400,000 containers, by 2020, per the press release. This is the result of a $375 million expansion of the terminal’s south berth.

The renovated container handling operation will feature 60 new rail-mounted gantry cranes, the first 30 of which are expected to go into service this September at south NIT.

“As we begin to bring more capacity online, we must ensure flow at our gates throughout the entire day,” Reinhart stated. “Rush hour is not efficient, but spreading out the truck volume across the day is, and we’ve developed an innovative, fair, easy and useful way of accomplishing that.”

Visit portofvirginia.com for more information.